What to Expect from Flight School

Aubrey Gladstone

The president of Gladstone Consulting, Inc. based in Boca Raton, Florida, Aubrey Gladstone often filled in as a charter pilot with National Jet Corp. One of the early owner-pilots of the Citation ISP, Aubrey Gladstone flew all types of aircraft, but perhaps his most rewarding experience was teaching his daughter Brooke to fly at the age of 16. By combining Brooke's college visits with her flight training, Brooke was able to gain practical experience in using small aircraft for business and personal travel at a young age.

Generally, a student can achieve a private pilot's license in 3-4 months of concentrated study. For those looking to fly professionally, however, advanced ratings such as multi-engine, instrument, and Airline Transport Pilot licensure are threshold requirements. While most professional licenses require the new pilot to pay for classes, large commercial airlines have begun to cover the cost of training for their pilots with potential.Recently, a few airlines have taken on students with little or no experience.